Wicklow County Council refuses permission for 25.4-hectare solar farm at Moneybig and Bogland, Arklow, Co. Wicklow

In context

It is one of 10 solar farm applications Wicklow County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 335 nationally. Of the 573 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 92% were granted.

What happens next

The applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 27 August 2025. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

Verbatim from the Wicklow County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

- 2 no. warehouse buildings with a gross floor area (GFA) of c. 3,364 sq.m each and a total height of c. 14.1m. Each warehouse includes a warehouse area of c. 2,419 sq.m, reception area, office, staff facilities, toilets, plant and storage areas at ground floor level, and office space, meeting rooms, staff facilities, toilets, plant and storage facilities at mezzanine level (c. 581 sq.m). - The provision of a service yard with a security hut (c. 34 sq.m) located at the main entrance, HGV unloading areas and 4 no. associated loading bay docks on the eastern elevation of each warehouse building. - The provision of 68 no. car parking spaces including 4 no. accessible spaces and 10 no. EV parking spaces serving staff and visitors. - The provision of 40 no. cycle parking spaces serving staff and visitors. - The provision of a sprinkler tank, sprinkler pump house (c. 13.3 sq.m), fire hydrant tank, hydrant pump house (c. 13.3 sq.m) and ESB substation (c. 25 sq.m) - Construction of a solar farm development consisting of photovoltaic (PV) panel arrays covering an area of approximately c. 15.7 ha on ground mounted steel frames, associated power trunk building (c. 539 sq.m) and 2 no. transformer compounds, underground cabling and ducting, new internal tracks for maintenance and all associated site services works. - Site access from the permitted development to south (WCC Reg. Ref.: 20/1088 as amended WCC Reg. Ref.: 23/62 and 24/88), which is subject to a current separate amendment application under WCC Reg. Ref.: 25/60350, and extension of the permitted inner relief road through the site. - The provision of a new statcom compound including a single storey control and valve building with a GFA of c. 253 sq.m and associated equipment adjacent to the permitted inner relief road to the south of the main site area. The proposed development also includes for the provision of associated landscaping and planting, berms, boundary treatments, internal road network, pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, signage zones, site lighting, drainage works, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and all ancillary site development works